Sonic: Necropolis Rising
by Kevik
Summary: The ancient origins of the Chaos Emeralds lie in the dark land of Necropolis. Join sonic, tails, and the others as they attempt to find this mysterious land before an evil beyond all imagining is unleashed. The first story in a trilogy. TailsxCosmo
1. The End of an Age

This is the first story I have written that seems to be worthy of the name. Because of this any comments on my work are appreciated. I will use them to improve my writing and make this story better as it advances. I will post the next chapter when I receive at least 10 reviews, regardless if they are good or ill. Be warned, this fanfic contains KnucklesxRouge, SonicxAmy, and TailsxCosmo(If I can make it fit.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic The Hedgehog, Sega does.

Chapter 1: The End of an Age

By Kevik

Lightning flashed above the twisted metal fortress. Within Dr. Eggman paced, back and forth, back and forth. As he waited he stared at the mirror. "Decoe, Bocoe, Bokkun, come here!" He shouted. However, even as they rushed toward him, he noticed his graying hair, the loss of the feeling and power he once possessed, and the failing strength of his limbs. "My friends, and yes you are my friends. I must tell you that I now intend to retire," he sighed and he stared at their shocked expression. "I wish to know if you will join me in my final journey. After one last blow against my enemies we will leave this planet and never return," He continued with one heavy sigh.

"Of course we will come, Doctor" Bocoe intoned, voice filled with charisma, " We will join you in your final endeavor."

On the wall of the castle a figure in black stared at the brightly lit windows of the castle. The figure possessed two tails "Sonic told me to leave Eggman alone," Tails muttered, "But I have to find out what he is up to." With that, he climbed upward until he stared into Eggman's window.

From within a voice emanated "whoever you are, the window is unlocked, please don't break the glass. I took me long enough to replace it last time you broke in."

Tails tried the window and, to his surprise, it opened smoothly. "What are you up to Eggman!" Tails shouted, "I seriously doubt that you have suddenly given up."

Just then, robotic claws reached out suddenly from the floor and grasped tails. Snatching his arms, legs and even his tails. The floor lowered slowly into the ground revealing the laboratory beneath. However, only two objects lay beneath the castle. One a syringe, the other, a small spacecraft. "This," muttered Eggman, "is ancient technology. I developed this in the early stages of my robotic research. I only managed to make two copies of this before I gave it up as wasted effort. It is a single nanite. Once in enters your bloodstream in immediately scans your DNA and tailors itself to your body. It then, very slowly and painfully I might add, replaces your living tissue with robotic parts, until you are merely an empty shell. Believe it or not, this is my final blow against sonic. I cannot fight sonic anymore. However, now he will be forced to watch a robot consume his greatest friend. The slow death you will face will break his spirit. You are after all his best friend. Evan as you lie, dying in your bed I will have left this planet, content with my final great blow!" As he shouted his final sentence, a tracery of his old charisma crept back into his voice but faded as quickly as it arrived. "Now, let it all end," whispering these final, he jabbed the syringe into tails' arm, walked to his spaceship, and closed the door. With one final, bitter laugh he fled into the sanctuary of space, leaving Tails to his fate.

While the rocket launched, a blue streak arrived at the castle. Sonic the Hedgehog glanced in through the window, noticing the wreckage. As he watched, Tails stumbled out, the syringe still embedded in his arm. "Tails! What happened? Where's Eggman?" Sonic yelled through the glass. Tails made no reply. Instead, he collapsed to the floor.

Far to the east Knuckles stood on Angel Island. Guarding the Master Emerald was so much easier now. Pulling off his glove, he stared at the ring on his finger. Now that Rouge was his wife, the master emerald was technically hers as well now, and therefore if It was stolen, she would never give up searching for it. Returning to his vigil he heard a whisper of wind from behind him. Turning, A black cloaked figure faced him. "I mean you no harm, but the Master Emerald cannot be allowed to interfere with my plans." The figure whispered. A blade, wreathed in shadows materialized in his hand. Snatching the emerald from its pedestal, he vanished.

"No!" Shouted Knuckles at the night air "Not the Master Emerald!"

So Knuckles and Rouge married for mutual benefit, Tails is infected with a diabolical disease, who is the mysterious cloaked figure, and is Eggman really gone? I suppose that you will have to wait to find out.


	2. Dillemas and Disasters

I gave up on recieving reviews and decided to post the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog. I am making no money from this piece.

Dillemas and Disasters

Tails' Lab

Tails awoke to a pain, a deep-set, throbbing pain. He looked down at himself. A single patch of fur on his arm drew his attention immediately. Underneath a small patch of metal shone out. It was from here the pain originated. To say that Tails panicked would be the understatement of the century. "Sonic!" he shouted, "Come quickly."

Rushing in, Sonic immediately began questioning Tails. "What did he do to you? What is happening? Are you alright?"

Wincing, Tails began to explain "Eggman wanted revenge against you. He poisoned me in an attempt to do just that. I am now infected with a prototype form of a virus that he intended to use on all of us. It was before he figured out how to seamlessly transform tissue to robotic parts. Originally he intended to release a disease that would do it. This is not the first time I have seen this disease. One unfortunate animal once came to me after being infected by it. I immediately began working on countermeasures, in case it was not just an isolated incident. The initial stage is a single patch on the skin. After exactly one week the disease had spread itself to all tissue in the host and consumed him in a matter of minutes. I have less that a week to finish developing a cure." Sonic, to stunned to move, simply stared.

"Eggman" murmured Sonic, rage flooding into his voice. "Eggman!" He shouted at no-one in particular. Walking over to the latest of Tails' inventions, he removed the yellow Chaos Emerald. One by one the Chaos Emeralds were torn from their various pedestals. Transforming to Super Sonic he stared down at his friend. "CHAOS HEAL!" he bellowed. The patch of metal remained as it was. Desperation. Hopelessness. Anger. All of these and more blossomed in his chest. Pulling a scalpel from a nearby table he scraped a shred of metal from the patch on Tails' arm. Shining with power he Glanced over at Tails.

"Were are you going?"

"I must leave for Station Square. If Chris still lives I will find him and tell him of our plight." With that power lanced out "CHAOS CONTROL!"

Station Square: Chris' lab.

Chris reflected on his life. A full 120 years had passed since he had seen Sonic. "By rights I should be dead" he muttered. "and yet only ten years will have passed in Sonic's world." Staring at his youthfull eighteen year old body he laughed and whispered "My life extension formula certainly has served me well. 138 years old and still young." As he burst into laughter, a light lanced out from behind him.

Angel Island

All was peaceful on Angel Island. Birds sang. The young animals cavorted gaily. A band of rabbits marched boldly across the island. Then a gunshot broke the silence. "HOW COULD YOU LOSE IT!"

"Calm down Rouge," Knuckles nervously stuttered. "I want to find it as much as you do."

_A little bribery might help _thought Knuckles' desperate mind.

"Before I forget, this is for you!" He cried emphatically, holding out a diamond the size of a coconut.

"For me? You are to kind," Rouge gushed, the Master Emerald forgotten for the moment. A cold gleam entered her eyes, "Don't you dare think I've forgiven you, Knuckles. Once we get it back I am going to ..."

Tails' Lab

Tails jumped out of bed thinking, _I cannot die before I finish my project. It means everything to __me. I want to see her one last time. Even if I die when it is finished._ He glanced over at the glass case. Within it sat a small white seed. "Cosmo, our circumstances separated us. This I WILL rectify. Even if it kills me." Picking up a wrench he set grimly to work.

Cream's House

"Well Cream," Vanilla queried "Would you like to hear a bedtime story?"

"Yes please!" Cream answered enthusiastically.

Vanilla opened the book and began to read:

The Necropolis

Long ago a great civilization lived on this planet. At the height of their power they created the Chaos Emeralds. However, Legend tells of e second set of Crystals made by these craftsmen: The Dark Rubies. Their power was greater that The Chaos Emeralds but came at a great price. The owner of all seven would be true evil. He would hate all life. He would possess all power. He could not be stopped or destroyed. In fear of what they had created the Ancients locked the Dark Rubies away in another dimension. Their power consumed, the Ancients disapeared. This dimension: the Necropolis, which quickly became corrupted by the Dark Rubies and twisted itself to fit them. Many evils emerged from the darkness. First came Narru. He taught another ancient civilization the power of the Chaos Emeralds and created the immensely destructive Gizoid. Later, a shape-shifter, Gerann, caused the destruction of the Echidna tribe and almost released Chaos upon the world. Many followed them until the final Ancient, Magnus, sealed the portal between the worlds with an unbreakable spell. It is said that the one who enters this lost world and survives the four tests will have the power to destroy the Dark Rubies and shatter that evil realm. The first test is dueling ring of mammoth proportions. In order to advance, the hero must possess power and skill. The second test is a perilous labyrinth. Traps and fiendish monsters guard the dark, cold depths of the place. It tests wisdom and intelligence. The third is the test of willpower. Only one who is truly determined will withstand the polls of lava, the wraiths, and the other unspeakable horrors of the place. The final test tries the very heart of the hero. Whispers of power, fame, riches beyond imagining lure the weak away to be buried alive in the dark silence.

"Well cream," Vanilla exclaimed, "That certainly captured the imagination. Good night"

"Good night mother!" Cream happily squealed. As she fell asleep, A shadow in the corner of the room detached itself from the wall. "So Magnus, Mage of Necropolis, you are not entirely forgotten. You saved this world once, can you do it again? Especially after I twist the tales to cast you as the greatest villain who ever lived." Whispered the shadow and ghosted off into the night.

So marriage has not mellowed Rouge, Chris still lives after over 100 years, and Tails now assumes the role of desperate scientist.


	3. Mounting Desperation

Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog.

Mounting Desperation.

Station Square: Chris' lab

"Sonic?" Chris asked, turning around. "Sonic! It is you!" he shouted, joy filling his demeanor as he looked upon his hero. Upon closer examination Sonic appeared battered, broken, and defeated. "What's wrong?" He queried, approaching full out panic.

"Chris." Sonic began. His voice filled with total despair. "After you returned home life went back to normal. Eggman trying some new attack, then we would go and cut him back down to size. It was a bit destructive but fun. Eventually something changed with Eggman. His attacks became less and less frequent. He seized an ancient fortress but never modernized it. He even stopped building robots. Last night Tails entered his base in order to find out the truth about what Eggman was up to. He infected tails with a disease and then fled. According to tails, a small metal patch appears somewhere on the skin of the victim one week before it kills the victim. During that time it spreads throughout the body and prepares itself for the kill. One week later it begins consuming all living tissue in the victim. The consumption can be as quick as ten minutes. I came here because you have the most experience in these matters. Also, time moves faster here. Three months here equal one week back at home. Therefore, you also have much more time to work. So tell me now, old friend, Will you help us?"

"Of course I will help!" Chris exclaimed grimly. "But I will need a sample of the infection, time and solitude to work, and the help of my grandfather. One ingredient that may help if all else fails is a certain compound. I call it Compound L. The only place I found it was in a blood sample labeled 'Shadow the Hedgehog.' If you can find Shadow and acquire a pint of blood from him I can use it to synthesize the compound. There was one sighting of him almost exactly 120 years ago. But none since. I hope you can find him."

Sonic silently handed over the metal shard and raced off into the night.

Station Square: The Guardian

Before Station Square was founded an ancient tribe had built The Guardian. They had carved him from solid onyx, blessed him, and been on their way. Originally he was a cloaked and powerful figure. A staff in one hand, A great eye in the other. Millenia carved him further. Now he was almost unrecognizable, A black humanoid figure, his face long gone, his staff broken, his cloak, scarred and pitted, but the eye remained the same. Wherever you walked on the street its gaze seemed to follow you. Staring both at and through you, it still cut an imposing figure. Most importantly though was the figure sitting atop it: Shadow the Hedgehog. The ancient forces at work on The Guardian had drawn him like a moth to a candle flame. It was the beacon, drawing all oddities to it and keeping the rest of the world as normal as possible. Inevitably sonic was drawn to it as well. "Shadow!" He shouted "Come down here. I need a favor."

In typical character Shadow replied, "I came here with no memory of who I was or where I came from. My only memory is of an immense flash of light. Then nothing. I owe you no favors. Leave this place before I become angry."

"Don't you remember me Shadow? I'm Sonic the Hedgehog. If you don't remember me, then do you remember Cosmo or Tails? What about Space Colony ARK? Have you even forgotten Maria?"

"Maria, ungh..., How could I have forgotten you?" Shadow gasped. In his mind doors opened, Flooding his mind with images, awaking on Space Colony ARK, meeting Maria, being forced to leave her, Working for Eggman, Saving, the world, and so on. With a gasp of pain, he crumpled, toppling from his perch.

Urbopolis

Clouds of pollution filled the air. They cast an eternal night over the gloomy streets. The skyscrapers seemed to stretch upward forever, skewering the very clouds and carrying upwards. A thousand lights, forever burning lit this nightmare of a city. Its inhabitants cloaked themselves in black, scurrying through the streets. These were the dregs of Mobian civilization. This city housed them, fed them,owned them. Only the desperate came, for once entrance was gained, egress was seldom permitted. Occasionally A shriek of, "Thief!" Pierced the deathly silence of the city. Through the dark, narrow alleyways A winged form flashed. "I had hoped that I would never need to return here." Rouge sighed unhappily. "This was once a utopia. Now it is a scar on the veritable jewel of Mobius. Hmm... I never quite thought of mobius that way."

A red figure chased after her "Rouge wait up!" Knuckles shouted, increasingly angry. "I apologized didn't I."

Without warning Rouge bounced. It was as if thin air had solidified. She beat on it, as if to break the wall preventing her flight. She lept into the air and attempted to fly the other direction. Again she hit the wall. A black figure appeared before her. "Who are you?" she demended.

"I am Magnus." The words seemed to emanate from the walls, the floor, and even the ground. However, silence heralded from the figure itself. He snapped his fingers. The world shifted. A simple Dueling ring appeared. It was a simple square room. Lines covered the floor at regular intervals. A the center stood a gem. A gem Rouge knew and loved. The Master Emerald. "If you want it come and take it." Magnus stated, his voice emotionless. "However, when you lose this fight please forgive Knuckles. We all make mistakes every once in a while."

The battle lasted for a total of .05 seconds. Rouge began a spring and instantly felt a series of three blows. Each hitting so quickly that they seemed to meld. First the Face, then the stomach, finally the back. A tremendous "Crack!" filled the air. And she felt several ribs break.

"Hear me now!" Magnus shouted "The time has come. Hear my Prophesy!

You will seek the living stones

and defeat their cold grasp.

From them to take the key of light

From there you will find the Fallen one

The mighty deathless mage.

And remove from him his heart.

To the Stone of Ire you will go

And pray you do not tire.

There to unlock the Heart of Ice

Seek then you will the One of Golden Fur

The Ancient in disguise

And bring to him the heart and key.

Then gather your strength you will

and find The great stone Guardian

of Necropolis, land of shadows."

He snapped his fingers again and faded away, taking with him all evidence that he had ever existed. Even as he faded Rouge collapsed at the feet of a startled Knuckles. As she passed into unconsciousness she whispered "I forgive you."

Tails' lab.

Three grueling days. The pain bit deeper now. Digging into his flesh like a hungry animal. It sapped his strength. A glimmer of light shone into Tails' eyes, a reminder of his rapidly disappearing time. Glancing upward he noted the progress of his invention. "I think it is ready!" He shouted esthetically. For a total of five second he forgot the disease spreading steadily through his body. Then the pain flooded back. It permeated every cell as the still dormant robot. consumed him. Piece by piece his life faded. His nights were now haunted by noises of machinery. Clicks, Clacks, and Whirrs emanated from inside his head. Metal detectors triggered alarms every time he wandered too close. He realized how short a time he possessed. "Four days. Just long enough." Placing the seed inside the machine he pressed a large green button. The printer beside the Machine frantically spewed out data. A seperate printer listed the operations being used.

/Activating DNA Extraction.

/Organizing DNA

/Determining Parent DNA

/Mother DNA Determined

/Searching for Living Tissue

/Living Tissue Found

/Location= Galactic Coordinates 0.0.0

/Species=Seedrian

/Collecting Tissue

/Total Cells Found=1

/Determining Memory

/Duplicating Cells

/Estimated Time=72 Hours

/Estimated Time=71 Hours 59 Minutes

"So," muttered Tails "After all this time one cell remains. Unless something goes horribly wrong, I will see her again one last time."

Necropolis: Entry portal

Charmy. A good name for a cute little bee. Not a good name for a fully grown hornet. He looked down at himself. A glistening black and yellow carapace shone in the dim light. A long, black stinger protruded from his fully formed abdomen. Yes, Charmy the Bee was dead, this was Blade the Hornet. A shadow peeled away from the wall. "There you are Bartholomew. I had wondered when you would arrive."

Bartholomew spoke as if from a great distance. "You know I am not fully formed here yet. I need the Heart of Ire to fully enter this world, and as you know only the pure of heart can touch it. We must plan out next steps carefully..."


End file.
